Cezanne and I

Two boys grow up under the same sunlit streets of Paris and begin to chart the world with brushes and words. Paul comes from wealth, Emile from scarce means, and their bond is born in rebellion and curiosity. They share reckless summers, long nights, and a closeness that will outlast time. As youths, Paul trains as a painter while Emile tests his voice as a writer, each chasing a different kind of glory. Time reshapes their fortunes: Paul struggles to find recognition on canvas, while Emile gathers fame, money, and a wife he once would have refused. Yet their intertwined histories keep colliding, their affection stubborn, and their meetings a test of pride, memory, and the limits of friendship.

Directed by Danièle Thompson, this 2016 French drama explores the early bond between Paul Cézanne and Emile Zola in a quiet, intimate voice. Guillaume Gallienne stars as Cézanne, with Guillaume Canet as Zola, supported by Alice Pol and Déborah François, and the production relies on restrained period detail.

The film foregrounds a partnership that shaped both art and literature in turn of the century France, highlighting how friendship can drive ambition and redefine success. It invites viewers to rethink the shared origins of famous names and their later legends. It also invites viewers to see how early friendships seed artistic trajectories decades later.

Critics respond to the restrained, intimate tone and the strong performances from Gallienne and Canet. The film centers on themes of artistic identity, the cost of fame, memory, and how a lifelong bond can survive rivalry while still revealing fault lines and tenderness. Some viewers may find the pace deliberate, but the exchanges between the leads carry weight, turning a historical sketch into a study of how memory shapes art.

Awards: Not widely noted by major ceremonies. The film functions as a character study rather than a showcase for accolades, prioritizing mood, mutual scrutiny, and era atmosphere over spectacle. Its quiet reception underscores the focus on two iconic figures and their intertwined path, which some critics describe as reflective rather than sensational.